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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. kid — child
  3. press — newspapers
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. degree — temperature
  6. snap — to click
  7. firm — decided
  8. kid — to tease
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. press — to push
  13. pitch — completely
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. firm — steady
  16. degree — an amount
  17. firm — a company
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bore — to tire
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bore — to drill
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. press — a publisher

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com